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Does anyone else groan when people exert all this effort to be part of a closed ecosystem that Apple only tolerates to remain competitive? I thought it was a jo

Does anyone else groan when people exert all this effort to be part of a closed ecosystem that Apple only tolerates to remain competitive? I thought it was a joke after the first paragraph to be honest, it sounds like someone being sarcastic about Apple dragging their feet. Still don't know why people want Smart TVs anyway. Buy a GBox Midnight, flash j1nx's nightly build, use uPnP to push content to your TV. So simple, your mom can do it. Mine complained and then was queueing stuff up faster than I was able to.

smith7018 14y ago
Blech, I'm so tired of hearing people complain about Apple's "closed ecosystem." Seriously, we get it; you don't like buying a device you don't have absolute control over. Though, you do realize that a lot of people LOVE buying closed systems and breaking into them, right? This website is called Hacker News, not "So simple your mom can do it News." The fact that someone class dumped the ATV's private headers, provided the tools to create 3rd party apps for it, and even lists POI for the API is amazing! That's hacking. That's fun. Telling someone to buy an $80 Android box just to be done with it is curmudgeonry and is, well, boring.
- drivebyacct2 14y ago
  >you do realize that a lot of people LOVE buying closed systems and breaking into them, right? Yeah, that's probably the common starting point for me just "not getting it". >Telling someone to buy an $80 Android box just to be done with it is curmudgeonry and is, well, boring. Yeah, how dare I recommend a cheaper solution that already has an open development platform for it without having to rely on Private Headers that are likely to break and forcing me to kowtow to Apple. It's "cool", but I don't know why ANYONE would want to expend any effort to create an app usable by almost no-one. That's why my comment is relevant to "hackers" who want to build something useful for other people to use. There is some really special irony that allows you to mock me for wanting control of my device and then turning around and acting like I'm an idiot for not wanting a locked down device JUST so that I can jailbreak and use private headers to develop for that almost no one will be able to use. Also, if you're paying $80 for the cheap Linux/XBMC set top boxes, you're paying way too much.
  - smith7018 14y ago
    Sigh, this comment makes me kind of sad. It shows a lack of understanding of the tinkerer/hacker mindset. People enjoy doing what they're told not to. Half the fun of owning an Android phone is overhauling the UI, flashing a completely different ROM, and over clocking it to test its limits. Sure, you could just buy a phone and be done with it, but why? Isn't it fun to which your tech speed up, be altered, and even sometimes break? It's the feeling that you're making it YOURS. Not to mention that you learn so, so much in the process. Remember, hacking isn't about making something that everyone will use. If so, then why aren't hackers making Angry Birds or Microsoft Word? Hacking is about pushing the boundaries, sharpening your skills, and hopefully learning in the process. If I were to make an AppleTV app(liance) that I really liked and put it online for 3 people to download then I would be happy. That's 3 people's AppleTV's who are better due to my hobby; isn't that great? Also, please note that I never meant to "act like you're an idiot." I disagree with your viewpoints but I'm sure you're intelligent; you come to HN, don't you? :) I'm just tired of people who complain about Apple's "closed ecosystem" and then turn around and suggest an Android system which usually involves rooting (Android's "jailbreak") and flashing a custom ROM. Android actually is more involved than jailbreaking an iPhone is as far as time, energy, and scope go. I apologize if I took my frustration out on you but this whole "anti-tinkering mentality" that's being spread solely because people dislike Apple is getting to me. Technology should be about having fun using and abusing your systems!
    - drivebyacct2 14y ago
      > I'm just tired of people who complain about Apple's "closed ecosystem" and then turn around and suggest an Android system which usually involves rooting (Android's "jailbreak") and flashing a custom ROM. Android actually is more involved than jailbreaking an iPhone is as far as time, energy, and scope go. Nothing about creating an app for Android or GoogleTV requires any of those things. "Jailbreaking" my phone involved plugging it in and typing two solitary commands. On my old phone it involved three. The Android set top boxes come with root out of the box and have no signature protection in recovery. I understand the tinkering mindset, I assure you.

smith7018 14y ago

Blech, I'm so tired of hearing people complain about Apple's "closed ecosystem." Seriously, we get it; you don't like buying a device you don't have absolute control over. Though, you do realize that a lot of people LOVE buying closed systems and breaking into them, right? This website is called Hacker News, not "So simple your mom can do it News." The fact that someone class dumped the ATV's private headers, provided the tools to create 3rd party apps for it, and even lists POI for the API is amazing! That's hacking. That's fun. Telling someone to buy an $80 Android box just to be done with it is curmudgeonry and is, well, boring.

drivebyacct2 14y ago
>you do realize that a lot of people LOVE buying closed systems and breaking into them, right? Yeah, that's probably the common starting point for me just "not getting it". >Telling someone to buy an $80 Android box just to be done with it is curmudgeonry and is, well, boring. Yeah, how dare I recommend a cheaper solution that already has an open development platform for it without having to rely on Private Headers that are likely to break and forcing me to kowtow to Apple. It's "cool", but I don't know why ANYONE would want to expend any effort to create an app usable by almost no-one. That's why my comment is relevant to "hackers" who want to build something useful for other people to use. There is some really special irony that allows you to mock me for wanting control of my device and then turning around and acting like I'm an idiot for not wanting a locked down device JUST so that I can jailbreak and use private headers to develop for that almost no one will be able to use. Also, if you're paying $80 for the cheap Linux/XBMC set top boxes, you're paying way too much.
- smith7018 14y ago
  Sigh, this comment makes me kind of sad. It shows a lack of understanding of the tinkerer/hacker mindset. People enjoy doing what they're told not to. Half the fun of owning an Android phone is overhauling the UI, flashing a completely different ROM, and over clocking it to test its limits. Sure, you could just buy a phone and be done with it, but why? Isn't it fun to which your tech speed up, be altered, and even sometimes break? It's the feeling that you're making it YOURS. Not to mention that you learn so, so much in the process. Remember, hacking isn't about making something that everyone will use. If so, then why aren't hackers making Angry Birds or Microsoft Word? Hacking is about pushing the boundaries, sharpening your skills, and hopefully learning in the process. If I were to make an AppleTV app(liance) that I really liked and put it online for 3 people to download then I would be happy. That's 3 people's AppleTV's who are better due to my hobby; isn't that great? Also, please note that I never meant to "act like you're an idiot." I disagree with your viewpoints but I'm sure you're intelligent; you come to HN, don't you? :) I'm just tired of people who complain about Apple's "closed ecosystem" and then turn around and suggest an Android system which usually involves rooting (Android's "jailbreak") and flashing a custom ROM. Android actually is more involved than jailbreaking an iPhone is as far as time, energy, and scope go. I apologize if I took my frustration out on you but this whole "anti-tinkering mentality" that's being spread solely because people dislike Apple is getting to me. Technology should be about having fun using and abusing your systems!
  - drivebyacct2 14y ago
    > I'm just tired of people who complain about Apple's "closed ecosystem" and then turn around and suggest an Android system which usually involves rooting (Android's "jailbreak") and flashing a custom ROM. Android actually is more involved than jailbreaking an iPhone is as far as time, energy, and scope go. Nothing about creating an app for Android or GoogleTV requires any of those things. "Jailbreaking" my phone involved plugging it in and typing two solitary commands. On my old phone it involved three. The Android set top boxes come with root out of the box and have no signature protection in recovery. I understand the tinkering mindset, I assure you.